22 Park Circus, Glasgow
Encyclopedia
22 Park Circus is a townhouse
in Glasgow
, Scotland
, housing the city's register office
.
Charles Wilson in the mid-nineteenth century, the area sits atop Woodlands Hill and is named for its proximity to Kelvingrove Park
, which it overlooks. Park Circus itself sits on the very top of the hill and is split into four curved terraces around a private garden, and Number 22 sits at the end of the southwest terrace, on the corner with Park Street South. Although Park Circus was constructed between 1857–58, work on Number 22 did not begin until 1872, completed in 1874.
. After his death in 1885, the house was taken over by his nephew, Walter Macfarlane II, who employed Glasgow style
architects James Salmon and J Gaff Gillespie to modernise the building. Their refurbishments, between 1897–99, included a cast iron conservatory, as well as an Art Noveau billiards
room with glass-domed anteroom. Macfarlane also employed noted sculptors Francis Derwent Wood
, Albert Hodge and Johan Keller to make wood carvings for the house, including the new front door.
In 1934, the building was acquired as an Italian
social club, known as Casa D'Italia, and after the Second World War
was utilised as a regional Italian consulate
. In 1990, the building was acquired by developers, who, in co-operation with Historic Scotland
, began a programme of restoration. It is now on a long-term lease to Glasgow City Council, which operates the building as the city's register office
for civil marriages
.
22 Park Circus was opened as Marriage Suites by James Robison JP. Together with the rest of Park Circus, no.22 has been protected as a category A listed building since 1970.
Ground Floor
First Floor
Behind the conservatory is the former turkish bath, where private ceremonies may be held without guests. The renovation work undertaken by the owners has meant that all rooms retain their period features, including fireplaces.
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, housing the city's register office
Register office
A register office is a British term for a civil registry, a government office and depository where births, deaths and marriages are officially recorded and where you can get officially married, without a religious ceremony...
.
Construction
The house forms part of Park Circus, the focal point of the formerly-residential Park district of the West End of the city. Built to the designs of architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Charles Wilson in the mid-nineteenth century, the area sits atop Woodlands Hill and is named for its proximity to Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.-History:...
, which it overlooks. Park Circus itself sits on the very top of the hill and is split into four curved terraces around a private garden, and Number 22 sits at the end of the southwest terrace, on the corner with Park Street South. Although Park Circus was constructed between 1857–58, work on Number 22 did not begin until 1872, completed in 1874.
History
The house was originally built for Walter Macfarlane, a wealthy Glasgow industrialist and founder of the Saracen FoundrySaracen Foundry
The Saracen Foundry was the better known name for the Possilpark, Glasgow based foundry company W MacFarlane & Co. Ltd, founded and owned by Walter MacFarlane. Macfarlane's was the most important manufacturer of ornamental ironwork in Scotland....
. After his death in 1885, the house was taken over by his nephew, Walter Macfarlane II, who employed Glasgow style
Glasgow School
The Glasgow School was a circle of influential modern artists and designers who began to coalesce in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1870s, and flourished from the 1890s to sometime around 1910. Representative groups were: The Four , the Glasgow Girls and the Glasgow Boys...
architects James Salmon and J Gaff Gillespie to modernise the building. Their refurbishments, between 1897–99, included a cast iron conservatory, as well as an Art Noveau billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
room with glass-domed anteroom. Macfarlane also employed noted sculptors Francis Derwent Wood
Francis Derwent Wood
Francis Derwent Wood RA was a sculptor, born in Keswick, Cumberland, in England's Lake District.-Early life:Wood studied in Germany and returned to London in 1887 to work under Edouard Lanteri and Sir Thomas Brock; he taught at the Glasgow School of Art from 1897 through 1905 and was professor of...
, Albert Hodge and Johan Keller to make wood carvings for the house, including the new front door.
In 1934, the building was acquired as an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
social club, known as Casa D'Italia, and after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was utilised as a regional Italian consulate
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
. In 1990, the building was acquired by developers, who, in co-operation with Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
, began a programme of restoration. It is now on a long-term lease to Glasgow City Council, which operates the building as the city's register office
Register office
A register office is a British term for a civil registry, a government office and depository where births, deaths and marriages are officially recorded and where you can get officially married, without a religious ceremony...
for civil marriages
Marriage in Scotland
Marriage in Scotland is between a man and a woman. Civil partnerships became available to same-sex couples in December 2005 and grant rights and responsibilities identical to civil marriage.-Eligibility:...
.
22 Park Circus was opened as Marriage Suites by James Robison JP. Together with the rest of Park Circus, no.22 has been protected as a category A listed building since 1970.
Accommodation
The building now offers five marriage suites:Ground Floor
- The Lomond Suite occupies the former Library, overlooking Park Circus and seating fifty-five guests.
- The Kelvin Suite is situated in the former Dining Room, and seats fifty-five guests.
- The Avon Room is located in the conservatory, seating twenty guests
First Floor
- The Katrine Suite is in the Drawing Room of the house, seating fifty-five guests.
- The Clyde Suite is in the former Master Bedroom, with room for thirty guests.
Behind the conservatory is the former turkish bath, where private ceremonies may be held without guests. The renovation work undertaken by the owners has meant that all rooms retain their period features, including fireplaces.